Declaration of 2017 North Atlantic Right Whale Unusual Mortality Event

Posted on August 29, 2017

NOAA Fisheries has declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) for North Atlantic right whales throughout their range based on recent elevated strandings along the Atlantic coast, predominantly in the Gulf of St. Lawrence region in Canada.  This event began in June 2017 and strandings remain high, with the most recent stranding occurring offshore of Cape Cod, Massachusetts on August 14, 2017.